Level Of Self-care Research Articles

The relationship between demographic factors and levels of self-care against coronavirus in pregnant women referred to maternity wards

SummaryBackgroundThe adverse effects of coronavirus infection on pregnant women and their infants are not apparent. The best strategies to deal with this disease is avoiding the infection and preventing its transmission.Purposethe present study aimed to investigate the relationship between demographic factors and levels of self-care against coronavirus in pregnant women referred to maternity wards of Kerman, southeast Iran.MethodThe present descriptive study was conducted on 200 pregnant women who referred to maternity wards in Kerman in 2020 and met the inclusion criteria. The required information was collected using demographic and obstetric questionnaires and a self-care checklist.FindingsThe mean age of the participants was 28.89 ± 7.07. Iranian and Afghan citizens comprised 82 and 18% of the participants, respectively. The highest level of self-care measures against coronavirus in pregnant women was attributed to the use of face masks (74%), and the lowest was warning the personnel to wear masks (28%). There was a statistically significant relationship between the nationality of the participants and warning the personnel to wear facemasks (r = 0.183; p = 0.02), having a sick spouse (r=0.149;P = 0.039), and having a sick child (r = 0.191; p = 0.043), and between the husbands’ job and the patients’ demand for a private room (r = 0.173; p = 0.013). There was an inverse relationship between mothers’ age and warning the personnel about paying attention to their hygiene (r = -0.145; p = 0.04).ConclusionsThe results indicated that most pregnant women in the present study were active in self-care against coronavirus. Using face masks was more widely followed than other self-care measures; moreover, there was a relationship between personal characteristics and self-care levels.

Effects of demographic and clinical character on differences in self‐care behavior levels with arteriovenous fistula by hemodialysis patients: An ordinal logistic regression approach

Hemodialysis (HD) patients should be trained to develop self-care behaviors in order to prevent and preserve their arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The aim of this study was identifying the factors that affect the levels of self-care behavior with AVF by HD patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 89 patients. Self-care levels were negatively affected by patients' location (Azores) and positively affected by marital status, education, employment, AVF duration, and absence of complications with the AVF. Concerning the management of signs and symptoms, self-care levels were negatively affected by patients' location. Regarding prevention of complications, self-care levels were negatively affected by age and marital status and positively affected by marital status, employment, chronic kidney disease etiology, AVF duration, and previous AVF. Further studies are required in order to confirm whether the considered factors affect levels of self-care behaviors with AVF, or whether other factors are needed as well.

Effect of prayer on the self-care agency and hope in hemodialysis patients

Background: The level of self-care of hemodialysis patients is important in controlling the disease process and symptoms. Nursing care has an important place in the process of resolving existing or developing problems of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment and in adapting to treatment. Prayer is not only a resource that encourages religious/spiritual coping, it is also a spirituality that strengthens hope.Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether prayer has an effect on self-care agency and hope in hemodialysis patients.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive and correlational study which was conducted with 180 patients in a private and a public dialysis center. The data of 173 hemodialysis patients who met the inclusion criteria were collected using personal information form, Herth Hope Scale, Self-care Agency Scale, and Prayer Attitude Scale.Results: A positive, moderate, and statistically significant correlation was found between the Prayer Attitude Scale and total score (r = 0.144, P = 0.048) and sub-scale future (r = 0.350, P = 0.000) of Herth Hope Scale. And there was positive correlation between the Prayer Attitude Scale and the total score of Self-care Agency Scale (r = 0.599, P = 0.000) and its five sub-dimensions drug use (r = 0.566, P = 0.000), diet (r = 0.619, P = 0.000), self-monitoring (r = 0.522, P = 0.000), hygienic care (r = 0.576, P = 0.000) and mental status (r = 0.328, P = 0.000).Conclusions: The study found that prayer had a positive effect on self-care agency and hope in hemodialysis patients.

Psychosocial Risk Factors Associated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus a Scoping Review

Introduction: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased worldwide and, of course, adverse outcomes for the health of the mother, fetus and neonate, and the resulting healthcare costs have increased. The World Health Organization affirms that healthy lifestyle habits that go with physical, mental, and psychosocial health and range from preconception to postpartum are essential to achieve successful pregnancies. Objective: Conducting a scoping review of the psychosocial risk factors associated with GDM. Materials and Methods: The databases consulted were PubMed / Medline and Cochrane. Studies on psychosocial risk factors in pregnant women older than 18 years, with a diagnosis of GDM, from 2010 to 2020, in English and Spanish, published in peer-reviewed journals, were selected. A standardized data extraction form was developed. Results: 1188 articles on this topic were found, 93 of which were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The findings yielded several main issues such as conflicts with cultural practices, social stigma, influence of ethnicity / race, low educational level, sleep quality, physical limitations, problems with breastfeeding, concern for the health of the mother and baby, low perception of risk of GDM and DM2 in the future, stress, anxiety and depression, limited knowledge about GDM, lack of partner / family / social support, low levels of self-care and self-efficacy in glycemic control, lack of support from health professionals and difficulties with changes in lifestyle. Discussion and Conclusion: All the identified psychosocial risk factors must be taken into account either by adapting existing prevention and promotion programs or by developing new programs. Interventions should not end with pregnancy and the psychological impact and risk of developing T2D after delivery should be considered, as well as multiethnic populations and the most demographically and socioeconomically vulnerable groups. In addition, they should be included in the Clinical Practice Guidelines and in prevention, promotion and intervention programs for the health and quality of life of women with GDM.

Aspects related to health literacy, self-care and compliance with treatment of people living with HIV.

to verify the relationship between health literacy, compliance with antiretroviral therapy and self-care of people living with HIV. this is a cross-sectional study, developed between January and July 2019, using validated scales on health literacy (SAHLPA), compliance (CEAT-HIV) and self-care (EACAC). a total of 303 people enrolled in three HIV outpatient care services participated in the study, with a satisfactory level of literacy (52.5%), excellent level of self-care (62.9%) and strict compliance with antiretroviral therapy (57.1%). The illiterate had insufficient medication compliance, when compared with the literate (PR = 1.17). Strict compliance was significant for self-care (p-value < 0.001). A higher risk ratio for illiteracy was associated with females, people with elementary education, who receive benefits, with an income of up to one minimum wage, not having the habit of seeking health information and longer use of ART. a relationship was identified between literacy and insufficient compliance. The risk for insufficient medication compliance increases as self-care declines. Social measures that reduce inequities can contribute to improving care for people living with HIV.

A terapia do espelho melhora a recuperação motora do membro superior e o nível de independência após AVC: um ensaio clínico randomizado

Abstract Introduction In stroke survivors, the prevalence of upper motor disability remains high. There has not been much report on the success of post-stroke mirror therapy, especially in developing countries. Objective The focus of this research is to see how mirror therapy, in addition to standard rehabilitation for hand paresis, affects upper limb motor recovery and level of independence in self-care after stroke at an Indonesian teaching hospital. Method This was a randomized controlled trial with no assessor blinding. The study included 18 subacute stroke patients who did not have cognitive or visual impairment. The mirror group received a 20-minute mirror therapy session in addition to conventional rehabilitation, while the control group received only the standard program for 5 weeks (2 times per week). The Brunnstrom score and self-care level of independence elements of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were used as outcome measures. Results Baseline comparisons of lesion type and Brunnstrom score showed significant between-group differences. The ANACOVA test showed the difference had no effect on the FIM change in scores (P &gt; 0.05). One patient (mirror group) was dropped out from the study. After 5 weeks (n=17), the mirror group showed improvement in both the Brunnstrom and FIM scores (P &lt; 0.05) compared to the control group. Conclusions Mirror treatment improves upper limb motor recovery and level of independence in self-care after stroke when combined with standard hand paresis rehabilitation 2 times a week for 5 weeks.

Sociodemographic characteristics associated with self-care and quality of life among community-dwelling older adults with type 2 diabetes

AimsTo assess how well community-dwelling older adults in Singapore were coping with their diabetes, and the sociodemographic characteristics that were associated with their level of coping. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving 257 older adults. Multiple regression was used to assess the associations between various sociodemographic characteristics and coping measures of present quality of life and level of self-care. ResultsOlder adults mainly sought care in the primary care setting. They were not coping well given their mean scores for diabetes-dependent quality of life and the self-care index were −3.57 and 3.55 respectively. Compared to those with post-secondary education, individuals who had no formal (adjusted B −0.92, p 0.003), primary level (adjusted B −0.76, p < 0.001) and secondary level (adjusted B −0.50, p < 0.02) education reported lower present quality of life. Those with prior lowest skill level occupations were less likely to consume a healthy diet per week than those with prior highest skill level occupations (adjusted B −1.48, p 0.004). ConclusionsThere should be provision of diabetes self-care interventions targeting older adults in Singapore especially for those with lower education and work skill levels. As the first line of contacts, primary care providers should advocate for diabetes self-care and develop community-based interventions for these priority groups.

Glycemic Control and Management in Pharmacist-Led Diabetic Clinic vs. Physician-Led Diabetic Clinic.

Background and Objectives: Globally, diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a life-threatening disease that, if it remains uncontrolled, can lead to mortality or serious complications. Despite the noticeable benefits of clinical pharmacist in managing diabetes, some institutions in Saudi Arabia are reluctant to establish a pharmacist-led diabetic clinic for monitoring and follow-up. The objective of this study is to assess the glycemic control by comparing the reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) percentage between patients followed in the pharmacist-led diabetic clinics vs. those followed in physician-led diabetic clinics. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study with a 12-month follow-up were used to detect the difference in the glycemic control by comparing the reduction in HbA1c percentage from the baseline, and average changes in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood pressure (BP), and lipid panel between the two groups. The level of self-care was assessed by Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) Questionnaire. Results: The study involved 52 patients who visited the diabetic clinic at a community teaching hospital. Exactly 24 patients were followed by the pharmacist-led diabetic clinics, while 28 were followed by physician-led diabetic clinics. HbA1c baseline was 8.7% and 8.4% for pharmacist and physician, respectively. The average difference in HbA1c for the pharmacist-led diabetic clinics vs. the physician-led diabetic clinics was not statistically significant (8.67 vs. 8.56; p = 0.77). Moreover, no difference in the glucose profile, lipid panel, and blood pressure were seen between the two groups. However, the median HbA1c change from baseline between the two groups significantly favored the pharmacist-led clinic (0.7 vs. 0.003; p = 0.04).The average of responses in all four aspects of the SDSCA (diet, exercise, blood sugar testing, and foot care) was also higher among patients in the pharmacist-led diabetic clinic. Conclusions: Pharmacist-led diabetic clinics for glycemic control and follow-up showed efficient results that encourage the comprehensive and integral inter-professional patient care.

Сomplex rehabilitation of walking function in central paresis of the lower limb using neuroprosthetic technology

Disability after a stroke is most often associated with decreased patient activity due to walking disorder. In case of severe paresis, the function of the limb in the early stages of recovery is advisable to support with the help of partial prosthetics, using methods that provide functional stimulation. The complex treatment of central paresis includes botulinum therapy, which is due to the high incidence of spasticity.&#x0D; Aim: of the study: evaluation of the efficacy of functional electrical stimulation in a complex of multimodal effects in restoring movement in stroke patients with lower limb paresis.&#x0D; Materials and methods: Stimulation and neuroprosthetic methods (Bioness L300) were used as the main therapeutic program of rehabilitation treatment for patients with motor disorders of the lower limb after an ischemic stroke (n = 70). The median period of stroke was 21 [11; 47] days, median age 54 [42; 65] years. Scales and questionnaires were used to assess the loss of strength and volume of movement disorders, spasticity, walking speed and self-care (Medical Research Council Weakness Scale (1981, MRC), Barthel Index (1965), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), 10-meter test).&#x0D; Results: The effectiveness of personalized therapy with the use of a neuroprothesis (Bioness L300) in patients in the acute and early recovery period of ischemic stroke was shown. The additional use of botulinum toxin made it possible to eliminate the inhibitory effect of spasticity, which expanded the possibility of using intensive methods of physical rehabilitation. There was an increase in daily activity, walking speed, and the level of self-care of patients in 90 % of cases.&#x0D; Conclusion: The use of a complex of stimulating personalized techniques in the acute period of a stroke is justified and safe. The functional electrical stimulation helps to overcome power paresis, increases the overall level of physical activity of patients after a stroke, motivation for recovery and improves the quality of life. (1 figure, 2 tables, bibliography: 9 refs)

The Relationships between Self-care and Coping Strategy among People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

AIM: This study aims to examine the relationships between self-care and coping strategy among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). METHODS: A cross-sectional design involving 76 subjects of PLWH who attended the HIV clinic at a District Hospital in West Java Province, Indonesia. They met inclusion criteria such as being adult, has been living with HIV for over 1 year, and be able to communicate both verbal and written in Bahasa Indonesia. Self-care was measured by the 41-item Self-care Assessment Worksheet instrument, and coping strategies were measured by the 60-item Jalowiec Coping Scale. Pearson-product moment correlation was performed to examine the relationships between self-care and coping strategy scores. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (57.8%) used the emotion focused coping strategy such as supportant (31.5%) followed by fatalistic (21%) and optimistic (17.1%) when they deal with stressful situations. Optimistic coping was reported as the most effective coping by the respondents. Nearly half of respondents (42%) have intermediate self-care level which the highest number of self-care was medication. There was a significantly relationship between problem-focused coping strategy and the self-care scores (r = 0.378, p &lt; 0.01). Confrontive coping strategy has positive correlation with symptoms management (r = 0.264, p &lt; 0.05) and stress management (r = 0.280, p &lt; 0.05). Self-care information has positive correlation with palliative coping strategy (r = 0.281, p &lt; 0.05) and supportant coping strategy management (r = 0.236, p &lt; 0.05). Prevention and medication have positive correlation with optimistic emotional coping strategy (r = 0.264, p &lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION: Understanding PLWH coping strategies could assist nurses to reinforce patient’s positive coping strategies and change maladaptive coping strategies. Nurses could facilitate patients to develop a more adaptive coping strategies in enhancing self-care capability among PLWH.

Analysis of Factors Related to Self-Care In Terminal Renal Failure Patients Those Who Are Taking Hemodialysis

This study aimed to examine factors related to self-care in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study design is a comparative categorical analysis by cross-sectional. Was done to 92 hemodialyses this study was conducted at the hemodialysis unit of Dr. Muhamad Yunus hospital Bengkulul. Data was collected by a self-care measurement scale modified questionnaire. self-care level was 50% desirable. No correlation between age, sex, education level, HD duration, family income, and depression to self-care, there is a correlation between self-efficacy and social support to self-care. Self-efficacy is the most influential factor in self-care, it is important to increase self-efficacy by education program about ERSD and hemodialysis.

Frailty phenotypes in patients with heart failure in the early post-discharge period: insights from the iCOR randomised controlled trial and a machine learning-based clustering analysis

Abstract Background/Introduction Several variables such as clinical, socioeconomic, functional or cognitive, among others can have an impact on the prognosis of heart failure (HF) patients despite the optimisation of follow-up strategies (e.g. telemedicine [TM] solutions). The clustering of HF patients may to identify different patient frailty phenotypes. Purpose The aim of this study was to perform a machine learning-based clustering analysis to identify different patient frailty phenotypes in a cohort of HF patients recruited in a randomized clinical trial (The Insuficiència Cardíaca Optimitzaciό Remota [iCOR] study). Methods We performed the clustering analysis on the basis of 8 frailty-related dimensions. To define the number of clusters, dissimilarity matrix was calculated with Gower's distance. Then, hierarchical divisive clustering was performed. Using then Elbow and Silhouette to analyse how the within sum of squares changes for the different number of clusters, the final number of clusters were chosen. The incidence proportion of the each of the study endpoints (non-fatal HF events as primary endpoint and all-cause hospitalization, all-cause death and the composite endpoint combining of all-cause death or non-fatal HF events as secondary endpoints) was calculated for cluster. Results 5 different frailty phenotypes were identified. Cluster 1 (29 patients, 16%) comprised patients with the best reported self-perceived health status (QoL), fair emotional-affective status, but low levels of self-care. Cluster 2 (41 patients, 23%) included the youngest patients with the highest level of education and a better level of cognition. Cluster 3 (68, 38%) encompassed the patients who had the best level of self-care behaviour (18.9±9.8), greater physical and instrumental functioning for activities of daily living (ADL) and a lower rate of comorbidities. Patients in the Cluster 4 (30 patients, 17%) tended to be elderly females with poor health-related QoL, and a higher level of functional dependence. Finally, Cluster 5 was the smallest group (10 patients, 6%), encompassing the oldest patients with low level of education, a worse affective-emotional state, a significant cognitive decline and a higher proportion of comorbidities compared to the other clusters. Cluster 4 had the highest incidence rate of the primary endpoint (57 per 100 patient-years at risk, 95% CI [37.4–74–5]) and a higher incidence of all-cause hospitalization and of the combined variable of all-cause of death or non-fatal HF events. Conclusion(s) Using the cluster analysis, we were able to stratify HF patients according to the stage of their impairment and vulnerability in each of the different frailty domains. This will allow clinicians to incorporate holistic multi-domain assessments in HF programmes to identify patients' needs and provide each patient with personalised and structured follow-up programme according to patient's needs (personalised and precision medicine). Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Radar chart to compare frailty clustersClinical endpoints according clusters

An mHealth-Based Intervention for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Their Parents: Pilot Feasibility and Efficacy Single-Arm Study.

BackgroundType 1 diabetes (T1D) affects more than 165,000 individuals younger than 20 years in the United States of America. The transition from parent management to parent-child team management, with the child taking on increased levels of self-care, can be stressful and is associated with a deterioration in self-management behaviors. Therefore, a mobile app intervention, MyT1DHero, was designed to facilitate diabetes-specific positive parent-adolescent communication and improve diabetes-related outcomes. The MyT1DHero intervention links an adolescent with T1D and their parent through 2 separate app interfaces and is designed to promote positive communication regarding T1D management.ObjectiveThe aim of this pilot study was to determine (1) the initial efficacy of the MyT1DHero intervention in improving diabetes outcomes in adolescents, specifically the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, diabetes care adherence, and quality of life, and (2) the adolescents’ overall satisfaction with this intervention.MethodsThis pilot study included 30 adolescent-parent pairs who used the MyT1DHero app in a 12-week single-arm clinical trial. Participants were recruited from the local pediatric endocrinology subspecialty clinic via snowball sampling. HbA1c levels, diabetes care adherence, quality of life, family conflict, and satisfaction levels were measured and analyzed using paired sample two-sided t tests and linear regression analyses.ResultsThe final analysis included 25 families. The mean age of the adolescents was 12.28 (SD 1.62) years. Half of the participants (13/25) reported a diabetes diagnosis of less than 5 years. After 12 weeks of the intervention, diabetes care adherence significantly improved (before the study: mean 3.87 [SD 0.59]; after the study: mean 4.19 [SD 0.65]; t21=–2.52, P=.02, d=0.52) as did quality of life (before the study: mean 4.02 [SD 0.84]; after the study: mean 4.27 [SD 0.73]; t24=2.48, P=.01, d=0.32). HbA1c levels (before the study: mean 8.94 [SD 1.46]; after the study: mean 8.87 [SD 1.29]; t24=0.67, P=.51, d=0.04) and family conflict (before the study: mean 2.45 [SD 0.55]; after the study: mean 2.61 [SD 0.45]; t23=0.55, P=.14, d=0.32) changed in the hypothesized direction, but the change was not significant. However, higher use of the mobile app was associated with more improvement in HbA1c levels (F1,20=9.74, P<.005; R2=0.33). Overall, the adolescents were satisfied with the app intervention.ConclusionsIn a 12-week pilot study of the mobile app intervention designed to facilitate parent-adolescent communication for improving diabetes outcomes, significant benefits were demonstrated in self-care adherence and quality of life. A randomized controlled trial with a longer intervention is needed to replicate these findings and to determine the stability of the intervention effects.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03436628; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03436628

The Level of Self-Care among Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Introduction: In a long-term approach to the treatment of heart failure, importance is given to the process of self-care management and behaviors. The number of rehospitalizations and unscheduled medical visits can be reduced by actively engaging patients in the self-care process. Methods: The study included 403 patients with chronic heart failure (mean LVEF 40.53%), hospitalized in the Cardiology Department. Medical record analysis and a self-report questionnaire were used to obtain basic sociodemographic and clinical data. The European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale, revised into a nine-item scale (EHFScBS-9), was used to evaluate self-care behavior. Results: Analysis of the EHFSc-9 self-care behavior scale showed that the mean score was 49.55 out of 100 possible points (SD = 22.07). Univariate analysis revealed that significant (p < 0.05) negative predictors of the EHFScB-9 self-care scale included: male sex (b = −5146), hospitalizations in the last year (b = −5488), NYHA class II (b = −11,797) and NYHA IV class (b = −15,196). The multivariate linear regression model showed that a significant (p ˂ 0.05) negative predictor of the EHFScB-9 self-care scale was male sex (b = −5.575). Conclusions: Patients with chronic HF achieve near optimal self-care behavior outcomes. A patient prepared to engage with self-care will have fewer rehospitalizations and a better quality of life.

Self-Care Strategies and Job Satisfaction in Pediatricians: What We Can Do to Prevent Burnout-Results of a Nationwide Survey.

Introduction: Working in the clinical field can be a demanding experience. While reports indicate escalating burnout rates among physicians, further investigation about what physicians can do to prevent burnout is necessary. Our objective was to assess self-care levels among pediatricians and the correlation with job satisfaction in order to subsequently identify protective factors.Methods: In this nationwide, cross-sectional study, a web-based survey was distributed to all Austrian pediatricians via a mailing list of the Austrian Society of Pediatrics. Self-care was measured with a modified Professional Self-Care Scale (PSCS), which consisted of nine items on a four-point Likert scale (from 1, “totally disagree,” to 4, “totally agree”). Additional items addressed job satisfaction, peer support, and access to professional coaching.Results: The survey was distributed to 1,450 mailing list contacts, a total of 309 Austrian pediatricians completed the survey (21%). “Family” (M = 3.3) and “Friends” (M = 3.1) were the most highly rated self-care strategies. We found significant differences between pediatricians under 35 years and those aged 50 years and above (z = −4.21, p < 0.001). Peer support appeared to impact job satisfaction substantially. We found differences between pediatricians who frequently talk to colleagues about difficult situations, those who sometimes do so, and those who never do (p < 0.001), with a linear trend indicating increased job satisfaction with more frequent peer support (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Among all self-care strategies, a stable network of family and friends was highest rated, followed by balanced nutrition. Younger, male pediatricians working in hospital showed to be a vulnerable group with regard to overall self-care. Moreover, higher self-care values were found among those pediatricians who reported to receive peer support on a regular basis. We suggest combined organizational and individual interventions to promote pediatricians' well-being. Organizations should provide the possibility to select a well-balanced diet as well as space and time to consume food and cultivate a work environment that enables communication among peers and facilitates professional coaching. On the personal level, we want to encourage pediatricians to talk to trusted colleagues in challenging clinical situations and to consider working with a professional coach.

The Revised Self-Care of Heart Failure Index - a new tool for assessing the self-care of Polish patients with heart failure.

According to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, self-care is a key part of treatment for patients with heart failure. A large evidence base has been accumulated regarding the direct impact of self-care on the outcome of patients with heart failure. In order to assess self-care in patients with heart failure and to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions taken, a reliable and culturally acceptable instrument is required. The Revised Self-care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) is a new tool for assessing self-care in patients with heart failure. Our aim was to test the reliability of the Polish version of the Revised SCHFI. The standard forward-backward translation procedure was used to translate the Revised SCHFI questionnaire into Polish. The reliability of the SCHFI was assessed based on Cronbach's α, item-total correlation, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. A total of 127 patients with heart failure (mean [SD] age, 68.5 [11.2] years) completed the questionnaire. The mean (SD) total self-care score in the study group was 51.92 (22.0). Patients scored the highest in terms of self-care confidence (mean [SD] score, 65.63 [21.0] points), and the lowest in symptom perception (mean [SD] score, 54.64 [18.28] points). The Revised SCHFI had satisfactory psychometric properties in all subscales (self-care maintenance α = 0.790, symptom perception α = 0.790, self-care management α = 0.705). The Polish version of the Revised SCHFI is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing self-care level in heart failure patients.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Brief-Mindful Self-Care Scale: A Translation and Validation Study.

Objective: This study aimed to translate the Brief-Mindful Self-Care Scale (B-MSCS) into Chinese and validate its reliability and validity among hospice nurses.Methods: A total of 510 hospice nurses were recruited from three provinces in China. The reliability of the translated scale was measured by internal consistency, split-half reliability, and test-retest reliability. The validity of the translated scale was evaluated by expert consultation, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis.Results: The Cronbach's α value of the Chinese version of B-MSCS was 0.920, and the Cronbach's α value of the dimensions ranged from 0.850 to 0.933. The split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were 0.770 and 0.723, respectively. Furthermore, the content validity index of the scale (S-CVI) was 0.946. The 6-factor structure, supported by the eigenvalues, total variance explained, and scree plot were obtained by using exploratory factor analysis. Moreover, as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, the model fitting indexes were all in the acceptable range.Conclusion: The Chinese version of B-MSCS had suitable reliability and validity among hospice nurses. The developed scale will evaluate the level of mindful self-care of Chinese hospice nurses, providing an opportunity for development of targeted educational plans. Each item is a direct guide for hospice nurses to develop their mindful self-care practice.

Self-care of liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant patients with diabetes

Self-care is a set of actions that individuals take to maintain life, good health, and well-being. Regardless of the type of diabetes, individuals must perform self-care and comply with the treatment to prevent complications, achieve better disease management, and maintain their quality of life. This study aimed to examine self-care behaviors of liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplant patients with diabetes. The study has used a descriptive correlational design and was carried out in an endocrinology and diabetes center in Brazil. A total of 101 patients participated in the study. The Diabetes Self-care Activities Questionnaire was used, and the quantitative analysis was carried out using SPSS. The results show that the highest self-care levels occurred in the medication domain, while the lowest were found in the specific diet domain. Some important correlations were found: men were more likely to assess blood glucose, use combined oral/insulin therapy, take insulin, and take medications as prescribed than women; patients on combined oral/insulin therapy followed dietary recommendations more frequently than the others; and patients with altered serum urea and history of stroke had high levels of self-care. The results made it possible to know the compliance in performing self-care activities in transplanted patients with diabetes, supporting the development of interventions to motivate and improve self-care.

Knowledge and self-care of nurses at the emergency and intensive care wards of Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital, Khorramabad, Iran, in prevention from coronavirus disease 2019, 2020

Background: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has endangered the health of all people. Healthcare workers, especially nurses working in emergency and intensive care wards, are always at the forefront of the fight against such infectious diseases. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness and self-care of staff working in emergency and intensive care wards in prevention from COVID-19 in Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital, Khorramabad, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 162 nurses in Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital. The samples were selected the census sampling method and completed a designed online questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted in SPSS software (version 23). Results: The mean age of participants was obtained at 32.28±5.12 years, and 87% of the subjects were women. The mean scores of knowledge and self-care among the subjects were estimated at 21.5±2.6 and 36.1±4.1, respectively. It was also revealed that 87.9% of the participants had good knowledge regarding the prevention from COVID-19 and 85.2% of the cases had good performance in self-care of COVID-19. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the staff working at the emergency and intensive care wards of Shohada-ye Ashayer Hospital had a good level of awareness and self-care in prevention from COVID-19. However, in some cases, more training is needed to better perform COVID-19 prevention.

The types of comorbidities are associated with self-care of heart failure, but not the number of comorbidities

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): RO1HL083176 Improving Self-Care Behavior and Outcomes in Rural Patients with Heart Failure Background/Introduction: Patients with heart failure (HF) experience cardiac and non-cardiac related comorbid conditions. Such comorbidities create challenges to successful engagement in self-care of HF because patients are asked to simultaneously perform a variety of recommended self-care activities for HF and their comorbid conditions. It is possible that patients with a greater number of comorbid conditions experience more difficulty performing activities of HF self-care compared to those with a smaller number of comorbid conditions. However, it is also possible that types of comorbid conditions are more important factors influencing self-care of HF. Purpose To explore whether self-care of HF is associated with the number of comorbid conditions or types of comorbid conditions. Methods A total of 589 patients with HF (66 years, 41% female, 65% NYHA III/IV) were included in this study. The number of comorbid conditions was measured using the list of the conditions in the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Types of comorbidities were defined as follows: concordant conditions, sharing overall pathophysiologic risk profiles with HF, and discordant conditions, not being directly related to HF. Patients were categorized into 4 groups: HF patients without comorbidities; those with concordant conditions; those with discordant conditions; and those with both concordant and discordant conditions. Self-care was measured with the European HF self-care behavior scale. A multivariate linear regression was performed to explore the relationship of HF self-care with the number and types of comorbid conditions after adjusting for relevant covariates. Results The number of comorbid conditions was not associated with self-care of HF. However, the types of comorbid conditions were related to self-care of HF after controlling for covariates. Compared to HF patients without comorbidities, patients with both concordant and discordant conditions were more likely to have poorer self-care (β=0.155, 95% CI 0.29-4.09). However, levels of self-care in patients having either concordant or discordant conditions were not different from levels in patients having no comorbid conditions. Conclusion: Patients’ adherence to HF self-care was associated with the types of comorbidities, but not the simple count of comorbidities. Patients who had both concordant and discordant conditions were more likely to perform poor self-care of HF compared to those who had either concordant or discordant conditions or no comorbid conditions. It appears that HF patients with both concordant and discordant conditions experience difficulty integrating HF self-care in relation to a variety of conditions.